Snapshots
by b14ck-r053
Summary: A series of ficlets set throughout the movie, or at least up to the almostkiss between Jess and Joe. JulesJess, femslash


**Title**: Snapshots  
**Author**: b14ck-r053  
**Fandom**: Bend it Like Beckham  
**Pairing**: Jules/Jess, little bit of Jess/Joe (Not much more than what the movie offers.)  
**Rating**: R  
**Summary**: Series of ficlets set throughout the movie, or at least up to the almost-kiss between Jess and Joe.  
**Word** **count**: 2,128 (according to word)  
**Disclaimer**: Don't own them, yadda yadda.  
**Warning**: Femmeslash (aka shojo-ai, girl-girl love, etc. you have been warned).  
**Feedback**: Yes please.  
**Other** **notes**: We've been to London once, but that by no means makes us an expert on their diction, so pardon the misuse of words or whatnot. We've seen the movie several times, but this was written based on our chicken scratch notes of the movie. So pardon the inaccuracies there too. (Corrections to either would be appreciated.) Finally, thank you to our lovely beta, imnotafish.

Snapshots  
By b14ck-r053

Jules and Jess walked slowly through the park, passing the ball between them. Tony had run off to help his mother with something a quarter of an hour ago. The two girls continued the "match" for a little while after he left, but had ended it in favor of grabbing something from the passing ice cream truck.  
"So…" Jules started, "if you don't have a boyfriend then d'you have a girlfriend?"  
Jess almost choked on the piece of sugar cone in her mouth. "Jules, I'm Indian."  
"And?"  
"I'm **Indian**," stressed Jess.  
"That's a no then?"  
"Yes."  
"You want to go out with me sometime? Since you're available and all."  
"Jules!"  
She flashed a grin. "Humor me Jess."

Their first date wasn't anything fancy. Jules took Jess out to go shopping and hit a pub when they had finished. Of course, Jess got in trouble for smelling like fags. She was sure to give Jules grief about that during practice and afterwards at Jules' house.  
"Jess, I'm so sorry," Jules apologized for the fifth time. "I didn't realize-"  
"Jules, it's fine," Jess interjected. "Really, my mum and dad forgot about it the next day."  
"So are we still up for tonight? How's your ankle?"  
"It's still sore from running the pitch."  
"You should have told him you know. Joe might be hard about some things, but he's good about that stuff."  
"That's what he told me."  
"Anyways, I'll go get the shoes I told you about." Jules turned and left her room, heading downstairs.

The next day Jess met Jules in the park and explained to her what had happened when she got home the day before.  
"God Jess. I…shit, sometimes I'm such a prat. I didn't mean…I'm sorry. Pinky must feel awful with her wedding being called off and all that."  
"Yeah, she was really pissed at me and my parents weren't too pleased either. But it's not really our fault or anything; I tried to explain that to them."  
Jules didn't respond, her mind concentrating on something else. Jess waved a hand in front of her face.  
"What? Oh sorry. Just thinking about what I can do to help."  
"Don't worry about it Jules."  
"But I feel really bad," she paused. "Think you can get away tonight?"  
"You're joking right? You really think my parents will let me go out with you after yesterday?"  
"Just try. Give them another excuse or something. Ring me if you can't. I'll pick you up outside your house at 9:30. Wear something you can go clubbing in."

Jess stood outside her house, her denim jacket hiding the black halter from her parents' curious eyes. A dragon ran up the left side of her jeans, sewn in silver thread. The material clung to her body tightly except at her feet, where the black denim flared out. In her hand she carried a duffle bag packed with a change of clothes, her excuse for leaving the house.  
Jules pulled up in her mother's car and honked. Jess ducked inside the house to inform her parents she was leaving and then headed out to meet her friend, her girlfrined.  
"Hello gorgeous," Jules said in greeting.  
Jess dumped the duffle bag in the back seat. "My parents think I'm sleeping over at my cousin's flat," she explained.  
"Oh, I thought you could stay over at my place," Jules replied, disappointed.  
"I am," said Jess.  
"Lying to your parents…" Jules tsked. "And I thought you were a good Indian girl."  
"If I was I wouldn't be your girlfriend," countered Jess.  
"And look at what you'd be missing out on."

Jules nodded to the bouncer at the door and pointed to Jess while yelling, "she's with me."  
He waved them in. Jules smiled and grabbed Jess by the hand, taking her inside.  
Jess realized she had never really experienced "loud" until she walked into that club. The bass thudded in her chest, and electronica filled her ears. She got a glimpse of the dance floor and bar before Jules dragged her off to the side.  
"Coatroom is over here," Jules shouted over the din.  
Jess suddenly understood why as the heat of the place hit her. She began to unbutton the denim, but paused when Jules slipped off her leather jacket. She wore a three-quarter sleeve mesh shirt, shot through with silver and gold metallic threads. Even in the dim lighting, Jess could pick out Jules black bra beneath the dark material. When the other girl turned to hand the jacket in, Jess' gaze ran over the back of the shirt, which was solid cloth with three columns of Japanese characters embroidered on it in the same thread on the front. Her eyes wandered farther down over the four inches of bare skin to the low-riding, arse-hugging leather pants that Jules wore.  
"Are you admiring the outfit? Or me in the outfit?" Jules asked smugly.  
Jess blushed and focused on undoing the last two buttons of her jacket.

Around them, bodies undulated and grinded against each other, following the steady bass of the music. Jules danced close to Jess but carefully kept an inch or two of space between them, unsure of where Jess' comfort level lay. Jess looped her arms around Jules' as the music blended into a different track. Jules reached out and placed her hand on Jess' hips, thumb pads running lightly over the exposed skin.  
When another couple passed by them Jules took the opportunity to pull Jess into her. The pair began to move as one. They dipped, slid and grinded against one another. Jules hands slowly explored Jess' back and the flat planes of her stomach. Running her fingers up Jess' sides, Jules' fingertips traced the swell of her breasts. Jess gasped, and Jules leaned in to kiss her.  
Their bodies paused, standing stock still amongst a sea of movement. Jules started to move her lips, matching the rhythm pouring out from the speakers. Jess joined her a few beats later and suddenly their bodies were moving again.  
Jules broke away from Jess' lips and whispered to her ear, "I knew I'd be able to charm you."  
Jess laughed in response and then sighed as Jules made her way down Jess' neck, pausing to suck on the beating pulse point.  
"Jules," Jess breathed, stilling the hands that ran idly along the top of her jeans.  
"Not here?" asked Jules.  
Jess nodded; an action that Jules felt more than saw. They kissed once more before grabbing their jackets and heading towards the car park.

Jules pinned Jess to the car with her hips. Her hands cupped Jess' face as she kissed her deeply. Her tongue slid into Jess' mouth with ease, tasting the remnants of the appletini they shared earlier. Jules pulled away, sucking on Jess' bottom lip before breaking the kiss completely.  
"Where should we go?" Jess asked.  
"Home, car, the moon, anywhere," suggested Jules between breaths. "Your cousin's flat."  
"Your place," Jess replied.  
"If I don't decide to shag you along the way," Jules responded.  
They laughed softly and broke apart.  
  
Jess' hands slid underneath the mesh shirt Jules wore. She separated her lips from the base of Jules' neck long enough to pull the shirt over her head. Jess' halter lay on the floor, removed by Jules' nimble fingers. Their jackets were long forgotten in the car with its fogged windows. Jules moaned Jess' name as the Indian girl dropped kisses along the line of Jules bra. She pulled Jess back up for another bruising kiss.  
They shifted positions so that Jess now lay on her back. Jules place her knee between Jess' legs and gently pressed into her jeans. Jess whimpered something unintelligible and her fingers briefly tightened their grip on Jules' arms. Jules' hands traveled up Jess' back and down her sides taking her strapless bra with them. She nipped Jess' shoulder and moved down to taste the expanse of dark flesh before her.  
  
Jules kissed Jess as they both came, quieting her moans and Jess' shouts.  
"That was…bloody fantastic," Jess said once she regained the ability to speak.  
Jules chuckled and snuggled closer.  
"Thank you Jules." Jess kissed the other girl's forehead.  
"Mmm…you're welcome," Jules replied sleepily.

When Jules woke up the next morning, she lay in bed for a while, remembering the night before.  
"Definitely, not a good Indian girl," she said softly, thinking of Jess.  
Jules sat up and looked around her room, which was missing something. By the sound of it, the missing thing had already slipped off to shower. Jules rolled out of bed and threw on a robe before wandering off to join Jess.

Jules opened and closed the door as quietly as possible. Jess had made it practically a sauna in the small room. The mirrors were so fogged she couldn't see her reflection a foot away. Jules drank in the air instead of inhaling it. She shrugged off the robe and hung it on an empty peg on the back of the door. The warm, humid air caressed her skin.  
Jules brushed the shower curtain aside and slid in behind Jess. She pressed a kiss against Jess's shoulder, loving the way her shampoo mixed with Jess' hair. The other girl jumped at the sudden contact and spun around.  
"Jules," she breathed in relief.  
She leaned in and gave Jess a quick kiss, pulling away before Jess had a chance to deepen it.  
"Morning breath," she explained.  
"Jules, what are you doing here?" asked Jess.  
"I thought I'd help you with you bath." She grinned wickedly.  
"I-your parents."  
Jules slid the bar of soap out of Jess' hand and began to wash the other girl's stomach.  
"Gone for the day," she whispered into Jess' ear.  
Jess hissed as Jules' hand drifted upwards, grazing the underside of one breast and then the other.  
"Don't worry," smirked Jules. "I'll make sure you're properly bathed."

With the car gone, Jess either had to walk or catch the bus to get home. Before she could decide, Jules slid her hand into Jess' and offered to walk her home.  
"So what happens if a player gets caught shagging another player?" Jess asked as they strolled along the streets.  
Jules laughed and squeezed Jess' hand. "I doubt if they could do anything about it, love. They won't ban you from the pitch or anything."  
"Love?" Jess asked.  
"Yes. Love. D'you want me to call you 'babe' like they do in America? Or 'boo'? That's another popular one," Jules joked.  
"No, 'love' is fine."  
Jess wrapped her arm around Jules' waist and rested her head on her shoulder.

"Jess, you have to come to Germany!" Jules pleaded over the phone.  
"I can't," Jess stated simply. "My parents had a fit after Joe came over."  
"He went to your house?" Jules sounded disconcerted.  
"It was just to explain that he was ignorant of their ignorance," explained Jess.  
"And tell you about Germany," added Jules.  
"Yes, that too."  
"So, are you coming or what?" Jules voice dropped lower. "We could room together."  
"Jules…"  
"Oh come on, you know you want to."  
"Wanting and having are two different things."  
"Well, you could have me every night while we're in Germany."  
"Jules!"  
"What?"  
"Someone could pick up the phone!"  
"But nobody did. Can't you talk to your sister or 'go over' to your cousin's?"  
"I'll see what I can do. No guarantees."  
"Right."  
"Call you tomorrow?"  
"Yeah, after practice."

Jules winked at Jess as she dragged Joe to the dance floor. "For you," she mouthed to Jess.  
Jess smiled and watched them with clouded eyes.  
It wasn't nearly as good as dancing with Jess. Part because he was bloody off limits and couldn't grind against him just to watch his reaction, and part because he wasn't Jess. Not that he was a poor dancer, mind you. Watching his body move was a pleasure in and of itself. Jules hoped Jess enjoyed the "show." Of course, Jules didn't mind if Jess didn't.  
When Joe brought Jess over to join them, Jules eyes slipped from his angular body to Jess' curved one. She almost reached out as Jess stumble-walked away, wanting so badly to pull her close and ask where she was going.

What happened outside occurred in slow motion, like so many movies portray those types of scenes. Jules' initial silence wasn't a test of Jess' faith, but more because she sensed what was going to happen and it broke her. The image of their lips touching shattered her heart like Waterford crystal falling on a marble floor.  
Jules regained her voice right before that moment, but the damage had been done. She ran from them to hide the tears that welled up in her eyes and the pain on her face.

* * *

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